An unsubstantiated rumor claims that Apple is looking to replace the venerable 30-pin iPhone, iPad and iPod dock connector with a smaller, space-saving successor that will possibly make a debut in the company's next generation iPhone.

Apple blog iMore has "heard" from unnamed sources that the iPhone maker is getting ready to switch out the dock connector currently found on all iDevice products with a smaller comparable component in order to make space in the company's ever-shrinking devices.

The site claims that the main reason behind the supposed change is to save space in a next generation iPhone for components that are more important than a dock connector, however this is only a guess as no timeline was given as to when the change will occur.

By moving to a smaller form factor, Apple can use advanced electronics like 4G LTE radio chipsets without making a bulky product. For example, the original iPad used a micro SIM card instead of the more prevalent mini SIM when it was first introduced in 2010, and the technology found its way to the iPhone 4 to make space for a larger battery. The frugality went further as the internal antenna was displaced to the handset's edge, a design that caused the so-called "antenna-gate" fiasco.

Another factor is the connector's role in data transfer. With the advent of iCloud, AirPlay and the energy-sipping Bluetooth 4.0, a future iPhone may only need a cable for charging purposes.

It is unclear what would become of the huge ecosystem of existing "Made for iDevice" products, which is a lucrative business for both Apple and third-party companies, as it would be made obsolete by a redesigned connector.

Illustration of space taken by current dock connector in an iPhone. | Source: iMore

No further information was given, and it is important to reiterate that the aforementioned specifics were based on guesswork.

People are going to through a fit about how Apple changed it to get us to upgrade all our stuff but the truth is they've used the same connector since April 2003 with the 3rd iPod release. That's 9 years for the same 30-pin Dock Connector. If a new, smaller connector will usher in another decade of portable devices then I'm all for it.

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The EU is requiring micro USB as a standard, yeah. There's been talk of Apple just supplying an adapter to go between that and the 30-pin connector. But honestly, micro USB is smaller than 30-pin, and not just by a little bit - by a lot. It would be really nice to be able to carry just one cable and use it interchangeably between my phone, my external hard drive, and my DSLR.

The EU is requiring micro USB as a standard, yeah. There's been talk of Apple just supplying an adapter to go between that and the 30-pin connector. But honestly, micro USB is smaller than 30-pin, and not just by a little bit - by a lot. It would be really nice to be able to carry just one cable and use it interchangeably between my phone, my external hard drive, and my DSLR.

The EU is requiring micro USB as a standard, yeah. There's been talk of Apple just supplying an adapter to go between that and the 30-pin connector. But honestly, micro USB is smaller than 30-pin, and not just by a little bit - by a lot. It would be really nice to be able to carry just one cable and use it interchangeably between my phone, my external hard drive, and my DSLR.

That report doesn't even mention smartphones in the list of possible devices for the single stream option. That tells me it's still a year out before we'll see 802.11ac in an iPhone sized smartphone. Note: I hope I'm wrong.

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I don't care if it's smaller or not, just please add Thunderbolt to it.

And everyone please stop with all the whining for adoption of micro USB for the on-board connector. USB, micro or otherwise, is pathetically limited compared to all the stuff the 30 pin connector can do, or what TB could do. If you just have to have a micro USB plug, go buy an adapter, but don't ruin the future for the rest of us.

I see the logic behind dumping the connector, and the EU's logic behind the USB charging standard, however...

I don't see apple dumping the connector yet. So many devices use it, that it would probably cause a riot from those who have it in their expensive cars.

IMO, the most likely thing that will happen is that Apple will release a new iPhone/iPad/iPod that uses a new connector (see the magsafe patent) in addition to the old connector, and then drop the old connector after three years when the warranty is up for everything that has just the old connector. Or the new device will start with just the new connector and have a cradle to connect to the old one that can just be left permanently attached to the interface it was being used with.

I'm thinking of the kind of action took with dropping 3.25" drives while adopting usb and firewire. Apple is the first to adopt and first to drop underutilized standards.

Physical connectors break, and the only good reason to drop it is that edge-connectors tend to be damaged extremely easily, while rigid connectors (eg USB, minijack) tend to become unglued on the PCB from repeat insertion and removal. Moving to the magsafe design eliminates this.

I really hope they go with a magsafe connection. I find the micro / macro usb plugs too small, it's so much harder to fit in, it's hard to tell which side is which on the little port. For something you have to charge every day, it's not great. Would be really cool if they made a mini magsafe though, as small as micro usb, but snaps right in.

I don't see apple dumping the connector yet. So many devices use it, that it would probably cause a riot from those who have it in their expensive cars.

Unless Apple moves to optical (which I think is not highly unlikely) or moves away from USB (equally unlikely) the most you'd have to do with an older car with an iPod Dock Connector is get the adapter.

Just to be clear, the EU isn't requiring Apple to remove the iPod Dock Connector or add a micro-USB connector directly to the device.

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And everyone please stop with all the whining for adoption of micro USB for the on-board connector. USB, micro or otherwise, is pathetically limited compared to all the stuff the 30 pin connector can do, or what TB could do. If you just have to have a micro USB plug, go buy an adapter, but don't ruin the future for the rest of us.

Obviously with USB and then more pin holes side by side we get the best of both worlds.
Sadly however servitude sometimes seems more the norm.

And everyone please stop with all the whining for adoption of micro USB for the on-board connector. USB, micro or otherwise, is pathetically limited compared to all the stuff the 30 pin connector can do, or what TB could do. If you just have to have a micro USB plug, go buy an adapter, but don't ruin the future for the rest of us.

In what way is USB limited compared to a 30-pin connector? Judging by the fact that Apple sells a 30-pin to microUSB adpater, USB isn't limited in any meaningful way.

This short article has to be one of the most poorly written piece I've seen on AI for a while. It is so full of grammatical error that it's nearly impossible to read. I know this is a tech blog site but...come on!

The EU is requiring micro USB as a standard, yeah. There's been talk of Apple just supplying an adapter to go between that and the 30-pin connector. But honestly, micro USB is smaller than 30-pin, and not just by a little bit - by a lot. It would be really nice to be able to carry just one cable and use it interchangeably between my phone, my external hard drive, and my DSLR.